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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for a halt to fighting in Sudan, warning that the crisis was rapidly deteriorating after paramilitaries overran a key city.Guterres urged the warring parties to "come to the negotiating table, bring an end to this nightmare of violence -- now"."The horrifying crisis in Sudan... is spiralling out of control," he told reporters on the sidelines of the World Summit for Social Development in Doha.At the end of October the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), at war with the Sudanese army since 2023, seized control of the strategic city of El-Fasher, following an 18-month seige.Reports have emerged of executions, sexual violence, looting, attacks on aid workers and abductions in and around El-Fasher, where communications remain largely cut off."El-Fasher and the surrounding areas in North Darfur have been an epicentre of suffering, hunger, violence and displacement," Guterres said."And since the Rapid Support Forces entered El-Fasher last weekend, the situation is growing worse by the day," he added."Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped by this siege. People are dying of malnutrition, disease and violence."Guterres also said there were "continued reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights".The UN chief also warned against violations of the ceasefire in Gaza that halted two years of war in the Palestinian territory.Hamas reported fresh Israeli strikes in Gaza on Saturday, after Israel said three bodies it received from Gaza did not belong to hostages.That came after Israeli attacks killed more than 100 people last Tuesday, according to the Hamas-run territory's civil defence agency. Prior to that, strikes on October 19 killed 45 people, the agency said.Guterres on Tuesday said he was "deeply concerned about the continued violations of the ceasefire in Gaza."They must stop and all parties must abide by the decisions of the first phase of the peace agreement."

His Excellency Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met Tuesday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy, on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development, currently held in Doha.Discussions during the meeting dealt with cooperation relations between the two countries and means to support and develop them.

President of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, stressed that the Second World Summit for Social Development (Doha 2025) presents an ideal opportunity to transition from charting plans to deploying practical solutions for the social challenges facing many of the world's communities.Addressing the Doha Solutions Forum for Social Development, held Monday as part of the summit hosted by Qatar from Nov. 4‑6, Baerbock affirmed that the broad participation expected at the summit will help impart prolific experiences and explore the best solutions to address both current and future social challenges.The summit broadly aims to unify efforts and share expertise to build practical and enduring solutions for global social development challenges, Baerbock underlined. She lavished praise on Qatar's role in backing international efforts to address social problems worldwide, particularly through hosting this monumental global event.The real challenge before the international community today, in terms of social development, lies in the capacity to implement solutions effectively, failure of which exacerbates suffering. Therefore, the Doha Summit is a perfect platform for learning, inspiring ideas, and fostering joint action toward a better future for all, she highlighted.The UN official cited a slew of successful global initiatives in social development, including the Sierra Leone initiative for enabling economic independence for persons with disabilities, which demonstrates empowerment through economic self-reliance rather than charity, achieved by removing barriers to employment, providing vocational training, and offering microloans for entrepreneurial projects.Similarly, India's Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has opened over 531mn new bank accounts, expanding the scope of social services, while civil society organizations in Sri Lanka launched a digital platform that created more than 25,000 job opportunities, underscoring that such initiatives demonstrate the immense value of collaboration between governments, the private sector, and civil society, she outlined.She pointed out that the massive challenge before policymakers lies in scaling such solutions and mobilizing essential resources to implement them on the ground. The global financing gap in social development, estimated at approximately US$4tn, underscores the urgent necessity to establish cooperative frameworks and innovative financial instruments capable of scaling pilot projects into large‑scale initiatives benefiting millions, particularly in areas such as digital transformation, infrastructure enhancement, and social inclusion, Baerbock noted.She further indicated that public‑private sector partnerships, alongside civil society engagement, are the bedrock of achieving comprehensive development, emphasizing that the private sector should be conceived not merely as a source of funding but as a strategic partner in innovation and solution creation.She stressed the importance of women's empowerment and providing opportunities for them to assume leadership across diverse fields, in addition to recognizing existing solutions, exploring novel ones, and sharing expertise to build a more just and enduring future.

The President of the Republic of Iraq Dr. Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, arrived in Doha Monday to participate in the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD), hosted by the State of Qatar from November 4 to 6.Upon his arrival at Hamad International Airport, Dr. Rashid and his accompanying delegation were welcomed by HE Director of the Protocol Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the State of Qatar. Mohammed Jaafar Al Sadr.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, arrived in Doha on Monday to participate in the Second World Summit for Social Development, hosted by Qatar from Nov 4 to 6 .He was welcomed upon arrival at Hamad International Airport by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met on Monday morning at the Amiri Diwan with Vice President of the People's Republic of China Han Zheng and his accompanying delegation, who are currently visiting Qatar to participate in the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to be held in Doha from November 4 to 6.The meeting discussed bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and ways to strengthen and develop them across various fields.The two sides also reviewed key regional and international developments, in addition to several topics of common interest.The meeting was attended by His Excellency Chief of the Amiri Diwan Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi, His Excellency Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, and a number of Their Excellencies ministers and senior officials.

Qatar's Permanent Representative to the UN, HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, has affirmed that the Second World Summit for Social Development, to be held in Doha, marks the first official meeting of the UN General Assembly to convene outside its traditional venues in New York and Geneva, in accordance with the Assembly's rules of procedure.In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE Sheikha Alya said that hosting this historic summit in Doha underscores Qatar's position as an active and strategic partner of the UN, adding that in just a few days, Doha will once again open its doors to the world, guided by its unwavering commitment to international solidarity and multilateral co-operation.She emphasised that Qatar welcomes the international community back to Doha, a city that has become a global symbol of dialogue, partnership, and hope.She recalled that Qatar has previously hosted a series of landmark UN conferences, including the 2008 Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2012, the 13th UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII), and the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in 2023 — all united by the shared goal of promoting prosperity and achieving sustainable development for all.HE Sheikha Alya noted that the world returns to Doha to participate in the Second World Summit for Social Development, which will be held from Nov 4 to 6, marking a pivotal moment to renew the commitments first made in Copenhagen three decades ago and to set forth bold visions and practical solutions for advancing social development.She highlighted that the summit will bring together more than 8,000 participants representing Member States, the UN system, and key stakeholders — including parliamentarians, civil society organisations, youth, academia, and representatives of workers, employers, and the private sector — all united in reaffirming their commitment to social justice and translating that commitment into concrete actions that place people at the heart of sustainable development.She underlined that at the heart of this historic summit lies the "Doha Political Declaration," a global call to action that renews governments' commitment to creating an enabling economic, political, social, cultural, and legal environment for achieving inclusive social development for all.She further pointed out that several key events will take place during the summit, leveraging this global gathering, most notably, the inaugural meeting of the "Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty." The summit will also witness a significant milestone with the convening of the "Doha Solutions Forum for Social Development," which represents a turning point toward adopting innovative and practical initiatives. The forum will be held alongside two major events — the Private Sector Forum and the Civil Society Forum — in addition to a wide range of activities taking place at the state-of-the-art Qatar National Convention Centre.HE Sheikha Alya emphasised that Doha is once again establishing itself as a beacon of global solidarity, where commitments transform into inspiration and partnerships become a driving force for progress, embodying a shared vision of an inclusive and sustainable future of peace and prosperity for all.